3 in 10 ‘lie during their divorce to speed up split’

THREE out of ten people going through divorce lie about the reasons for their marriage breakdown, a law firm poll revealed yesterday.

It said spouses invent fault in their husband or wife to speed up their divorce.

Of those who lie to a judge, one in seven make a false allegation of adultery, and a similar proportion fib about how long they have been apart for.

The survey carried out by Slater and Gordon said that six out of ten divorcees who make a charge against their spouse pick unreasonable behaviour.

But more than seven in ten think ‘couples will be more blase’ about divorce if a reformed divorce law brings in a fully no-fault system.

It comes amid continuing pressure from judges and lawyers for a reform of divorce law, which currently lets people split more quickly if they allege fault.

Joanne Green, of Slater and Gordon, said that the current process ‘incites couples to enter into a blame game’. But Thomas Pascoe, of the Coalition for Marriage, said: ‘No-fault divorce would further diminish the status of marriage and leave some men and women at the mercy of cheating, or controlling partners.’